Shop-Made Bench Dogs

Simple solutions are usually the best. And this tip certainly falls into
that category.

Lots of workbenches have ¾″-dia. holes in the top to hold
bench dogs. But the holes aren’t much use if you dont have a
good supply of dogs to fill them. So I came up with a simple and cheap
substitute for “store bought” bench dogs.

My shop-made dogs are sections of ¾″-dia. hardwood dowel with
rubber tips on the ends (photo). The tip gives the dog a cushioned grip on
the workpiece, as well as keeping it from sliding through the dog hole.
You can find both components at the hardware store and for a small
investment you’ll always have a ready stash of bench dogs on hand.